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UUENCODE(5) FreeBSD File Formats Manual UUENCODE(5)
NAMEuuencode - format of an encoded uuencode file
DESCRIPTION
Files output by uuencode(1) consist of a header line, followed by a
number of body lines, and a trailer line. The uudecode(1) command will
ignore any lines preceding the header or following the trailer. Lines
preceding a header must not, of course, look like a header.
The header line is distinguished by having the first 6 characters
``begin '' (note the trailing space). The word begin is followed by a
mode (in octal), and a string which names the remote file. A space
separates the three items in the header line.
The body consists of a number of lines, each at most 62 characters long
(including the trailing newline). These consist of a character count,
followed by encoded characters, followed by a newline. The character
count is a single printing character, and represents an integer, the
number of bytes the rest of the line represents. Such integers are
always in the range from 1 to 45 or 64 and can be determined by
subtracting the character space (octal 40) from the character. Character
64 represents a count of zero.
Groups of 3 bytes are stored in 4 characters, 6 bits per character. All
characters are always in range from 1 to 64 and are offset by a space
(octal 40) to make the characters printing. Character 64 represents a
count of zero. The last line may be shorter than the normal 45 bytes.
If the size is not a multiple of 3, this fact can be determined by the
value of the count on the last line. Extra null characters will be
included to make the character count a multiple of 4. The body is
terminated by a line with a count of zero. This line consists of one
ASCII backquote (octal 140) character.
The trailer line consists of ``end'' on a line by itself.
SEE ALSOmail(1), uucp(1), uudecode(1), uuencode(1)HISTORY
The uuencode file format appeared in 4.0BSD.
FreeBSD 11.0-PRERELEASE January 12, 1994 FreeBSD 11.0-PRERELEASE